Prayer Box Holiday Specials!
by Pheonix Lake
Summary: Kay Izurill came to Konoha searching for help. Holiday festivities always made the world seem brighter, right? Many pairings, please R&R! NejixKay is the dominant pairing. Please review with what other pairings you might like!
1. Chapter 1

**Prayer Box Christmas Special: Part 1! In October! Enjoy.**

**Pheonix: **If I don't start writing in five minutes, I'll lose the idea. So shut the hell up and read what my genius mind concocts!

**_Contains the hugest spoilers ever imaginable! A LOT OF HUGE SPOILERS!_**

_10:43 AM Konoha Marketplace, Konoha, Fire Country, Friday_

"Ano-sa, Ano-sa, Kay-chan… What do you think Hinata would like?" Naruto whispered rather loudly into Kay's right ear, making the girl jump and almost drop the smooth porcelain in her hands.

It had been about a year and a half since her appearance in Konoha, and yet still she was trying madly to get used to the sense of touch. So the shiver sent by warm breath on her ear down her spine had been unusual. Still…

"GoddamitNarutoifyoueverdothatagainI'llslityourgizzard." Kay breathed, her chest heaving.

"GOASKHER!" After saying this, the girl returned to examining her porcelain companion, wondering if the children would enjoy breaking this as much as they had enjoyed ruining the last present.

"Ano-sa, Hinata-chan, what would you like?" Kay could practically feel the heat from Hinata's blush.

The whole group, every single young ninja in Konoha at the moment, was Christmas shopping for each other. It just made it seem so much more jovial, Kay decided, humming a rather depressing song that somehow didn't dampen her shining mood a bit.

Neji was raising his eyebrows at a novel in a showcase room, and jabbed his thumb in that direction. His companion, Lee, (who was dressed in a Santa-Claus hat, by the way), nodded vigorously. Kay noted this and giggled, obtaining a snort from Neji, who had already told her that if she kept stalking him with her eyes today, he wouldn't give her her present.

But there was a reason to giggle. Not too long ago, in an attempt to best Kakashi once again, Gai-sensei had started reading Icha Icha novels. Of course, he had tried to compete with Kakashi over script recitals, and Kakashi had started to recite the entire first novel, dirty words included. The newest novel was just out as of fifteen minutes ago, and Kay knew Lee was buying that book for Gai as she remembered this occurrence. But, as she looked inside she knew it was too late for poor Gai, because who else was standing in line with two copies of the new addition but a certain sick minded silver haired jounin.

This all ran Kay's mind back to Neji and present giving. She had already surmised his gift, but what was going through his head as far as hers was concerned!

And she was sad, because if she couldn't eye-stalk him, then she would have to wait until either tonight or tomorrow morning to find out what his gift was. But if she did eyestalk him to find out what he bought her, then she'd never see it outside of this day. And again, how would she know it was her gift?

"Dammit dammit dammit." She recited as if it was one of her beloved lyrics, picking up and paying for a lovely dog bone as she passed the selling booth.

"Ah! Wait, can I have another, please?" Kay yelped, turning back to look at the woman at the dog booth. Smiling, the blonde handed her a bone, waving off Kay's payment.

"No, take it. On the house." The woman smiled, and thanking her, Kay turned and ran to catch up to the large group of arguing and laughing ninja. One person had stopped in the middle of the crowd, and Kay watched as Neji was walked around. He had stopped to wait for her, and she smiled softly as she jogged to his side, showing him the dog bones. He rolled his eyes, and smirked.

"I hope that's not my present." He said, one hand in his pocket as he examined the label handing tactfully off of one of the dog bones in Kay's hands. Their fingers brushed together slightly, but he ignored the shock of electricity that rushed up his fingertips. Kay, of course, bit her tongue to keep down the surprised yelp, as every touch from him brought forth one, and she was still trying to keep some dignity in this life. Recomposing, she shook her head, giggling.

"No, tempting, but I thought Lee would appreciate it more."

Neji could tell from her sing song voice that this would turn into another of her 'inside jokes', and it made him chuckle on the inside.

"Speaking of Lee, look at that!" Kay pointed excitedly, and Neji's head turned to observe a showcase of some new revolutionary eyebrow plucking system. He looked to the sly smirk spreading across his companion's pinkish lips, and shook his head.

"You wouldn't," His smooth as silk voice made her turn to look at him impishly, and she stuck the tip of her tongue out at him.

"Watch and learn, Hyuuga." Kay said, sauntering over without the slightest detection from Lee, and swiftly purchasing the product. This was one of those inside jokes that Lee usually watched out for very carefully, but the jolly-ness of Christmas promises seemed to have lightened Rock's resolve. Kay came back, checking off another line on her list, tactfully keeping the notebooks back to Neji. The genius himself hadn't brought one, saying a documented list of practical jokes and trickery was dangerous to one's self image, and that his memory would surely be better equipped to handle such deviousness. Or at least, that's what she had twisted his words to mean. Really, he had just said it was a waste of his time. But let's not ruin Kay's mood.

"Oh, and look there." Kay darted into a clothing store, dragging Neji in with her, fighting the blush the contact she had brought onto herself created as she grabbed his wrist. He made no attempt to stop her or slip free, just followed, knowing that somehow if he didn't Christmas would be more of a minefield than an eggnog-filled experience.

"Black shirt for Gai, um-hmm, oh look! THEY DO HAVE THEM!" The girl nearly had a hemorrhage while trying to get Neji's attention, pull the thing off the rack, and still keep a hold of his wrist in the same second.

She at least succeeded in the first bit, and with his other wrist Neji reached over Kay, who was now twisted awkwardly in-front of him trying to reach two things at once, and collected a pair of pants. He noted the way she immediately stopped moving when his body slightly came into gentle collision with her, and taking it as discomfort he quickly handed her the pair of pants she had been reached for before leaning back into his casual stance.

"…Yes, well…" Kay took a moment to recover her train of thought, still ingraining into her memory the feel of him ever so slightly leaning against her.

"Icha Icha PJS! Isn't it amazing?" She finally found it, it seemed.

"Breathtaking." Neji replied, his voice still holding its calm resolve to hold in any and all thoughts.

The pants were really just green with red silhouettes of kissing figures all over them, and it had the Icha Icha titles scrolled all over the stretchy top.

"So that's Kakashi… Oh, we can handle her here, too." Kay bounced over to another rack, Neji following without much choice as the less experienced ninja in front of him reached out and yanked a bright pink, fluffy thing off the rack. Recognizing it as a rather large poofy scarf, Neji nodded. Sakura would like it, that was for sure.

"For Sakura, of course." Oh, he was so damned good. Neji 101, Kay flat out 0. As Kay's sentence hung between them, Neji noticed Kay was in deep thought.

"Don't hurt yourself." He said, his smirk evident in his tone.

"Oh shut up, meany." Kay referred to him with her old infantile nickname for him, and she reached out for a soft black fleece travel blanket.

"Who's that for?" Neji's first sign of curiosity all day went unnoticed as Kay pretended not to hear him, letting go of his wrist to hold her light load.

Walking out of the little clothing store back into the main market area, Neji and Kay realized that their little excursion group had gone on ahead. Kay was not at all bothered though, and she pointed out rather loudly that this left them to go shopping for their comrades without the hassle of hiding the gifts at the cash register. Neji agreed with her to save himself the pain of making another reason why the group's split up was good, and led the way into a bookstore. Kay immediately went traveling off by herself, checking her list vigorously.

Neji himself browsed easily. He, unknown to everyone else, had done his shopping at the proper time of a week before the morning of gift giving, not the night before. The morning festivities of Christmas had been planned by Kay, everyone was meeting at the Day-care, and by everyone Neji meant everyone. Then, a few hours after the 'adult and teen' get-together, Kay had arranged for all the young children to make their appearances.

Kay went shuffling past him carrying a box that said Fragile in bold letters, and he recognized the pattern to be that of a 'Go' board. That must be her gift for Shikamaru, he decided, turning back to his browsing. Five minutes later, Kay hurried by again with her arms full of books, and sighing, Neji turned to pick up two that she had dropped in her effort to reach the cash register. Breathing heavily, Kay leaned against the counter as the shop keeper hid her disdain at the large amount of books with a happy grin at the after thought of a lot of currency gain to the shop. Hell, the old woman decided as she rang through book after book, her arthritic fingers wouldn't matter if she could make enough money to retire now.

As he went back to the book shelf he had been examining, Neji looked to Kay and reflected their relationship over the last year and a half. With a rocky start out, they had managed to turn it around into a rather comfortable acceptance, and more often than not a day together would end in another chuckle and good bye wave. Ever since their first mission together, when Kay had regained her sense of touch, she had had an extreme urge to touch anything and everything, and Neji had learned that while before she had hated contact, when she could actually enjoy it she was a very huggy person. He actually had to watch behind him in an effort to keep from being tackled unexpectedly. And as he evaluated his feelings for her, and what he thought her feeling may be for him, he decided that if nothing else, there was at least one thing he enjoyed about her.

She was compassionate. She wouldn't ask him questions at stupid times, was quiet when he needed her to be, loud when such similar needs arose, and annoying at all other times. She didn't ask him about him. He knew why now, of course, though they never talked about it. She had been inside his head, heard what it sounded like there, even before she knew that he really existed. Even before he had known that she and the circumstances she had brought with her existed.

She had told him more than even the Third Hokage had been told. She had told him the exact plotline up until the latest episode she had watched before her sudden leave to Konoha.

All this, of course, had been after a rather healthy Sasuke had been retrieved to Konoha forest, though slightly disgruntled; the Uchiha had come to his senses. Kay had said that she had only told him because he would be able to understand, but he knew she had just wanted to spend an hour talking while enjoying his full attention. He knew these things because she wasn't too good at hiding them. But he also had a feeling she didn't reciprocate any feelings that may have budded in his testosterone filled, 'secret' half. Yes, he was still human, he thought of these things. But it was more like how a mature teenager would analyze the flaws within her and resolve to not change them, he did not question what he felt nor try to advance or reclaim them into the recesses of his minds or others.

No, it was better they remained friends.

"Neji!" Said woman's voice interrupted his thoughts. What was Kay now, 14? 15? He was pretty sure she turned 15 soon…

"…eat- Hey, are you even paying attention?" Kay's voice once again broke through the fifteen year old Hyuuga's thoughts yet again, and he nodded.

"Eat, right. Let's go." Neji really was a genius in saving face and figuring things out quickly, leading the way to the food court. Kay sauntered alongside him, stealthily persuading him to carry one of the heaviest shopping bags full of books. Not that he minded, it was easier for him to carry than her.

Stopping and getting some white rice and beef in oyster sauce, the pair sat down. Neji had settled for Green Tea as his drink of choice, while Kay just grabbed some ice water and called it a beverage. Finishing his meal quickly, Neji propped himself on his elbows and drank his tea while listening to Kay explain a possible new fighting technique for the team. It involved her usual mind tricks and some more of his effective follow-up, with an interesting musical twist added in throughout. Neji listened intently, as he always did while talking of Team Gai. Kay had really brought a sense of extra uniqueness to their extended group, her songs always lightening the mood on their trips and her and Lee's antics getting the group into more mischief than necessary. This was where the good times were, Neji knew.

_12:01 PM Konoha Marketplace, Konoha, Fire Country, Friday_

Ino and Sakura hid their squeals behind their hands while Tenten collected money from Lee, saying 'I told you so' in a quiet tone. The two first mentioned girls both had their cell phones out, clicking the picture button extremely quickly. They had the flash off, and nodded happily as they showed each other their results. The food court had always been a good way to find out who might be a couple or not, and this was perfect blackmail material.

Neji and Kay, leaning close to each other across the table making idle conversation while looking into each other's eyes seriously.

How perfect. How so very perfect.

_12:03 PM Konoha Marketplace, Konoha, Fire Country, Friday_

"Did you hear something?" Kay asked Neji, her thin eyebrows furrowing in curiosity as she looked around. Somehow the girl managed to miss three head disappearing from view under a small popcorn vendor, as did Neji who looked but a few seconds later.

"No. What did it sound like?" The boy asked, putting down his finished tea.

"Like Ino and Sakura laughing insanely." Kay sweat dropped as the sound came again, but Neji dismissed it.

"Kay, everyone in here is laughing. It's Christmas Eve's morning, for god's sake, ease up."

"I just feel like their laughing at me."

"Well, think on it." Neji began, pulling on an over serious face just to see if she would smile. She did. "I mean, really, what have you done to deserve a practical joke?"

"Really want me to list things?" Kay asked, leaning forward a bit more in a challenge.

Slightly uncomfortable with their closeness, Neji leaned back in his chair, closing his lilac eyes for a moment.

"Right, never mind." He said, and Kay nodded decisively as she got up. She also managed to miss a gigantic group run behind her, at the very second that Neji blinked and she turned around to push in her chair. Neji opened his eyes, said group had made it to cover, where they had collapsed, nearly killing an innocent old woman in their stampede as they sniggered.

Neji felt her presence beside him, then she was gone. Raising an eyebrow, he ducked, expecting her to go flying overhead, but nothing. And so, without losing much face by his random evasion technique, he turned and activated his Byakugan stealthily. Kay was to be found quickly darting out of a tee shirt store with a bag, and as she rejoined him and his now deactivated blood line limit, she smiled, making a comment on how chilly it had been in that store.

After another half an hour of ambling after his chocolate haired friend, he noticed that she seemed to be lost. They had passed the food court three times now.

"Having trouble?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No." She sniffed indignantly, hiding the map from him. He knew from experience that she wasn't good with paper and routes…

It was going to be a long day yet.

**Pheonix:** Part one over! This may be a three part, if I drag it out long enough. I hope you enjoyed this short little introduction into spoiler fantasy land!


	2. Christmas part 2

**Pheonix: **Woot woot, going good so far.

**Disclaimer: **This is the only disclaimer I'll bother with, mainly because I don't remember to do them. I don't own the show Naruto or any of its Characters. I do however own the idea of Kay Izurill, and don't you go stealing Marissa either. SHE'S MY FRIEND, MINE!

**Christmas Part 2**

_12:42 PM, Konoha Marketplace, Konoha, Fire Country, Friday_

"Shut up, shut up, shut up…" Kay chorused, glaring at Neji as he silently, though with a smirk, led them out of their little circle of death.

"Fine. I suck. Let's finish this up." Kay pouted, and before even looked at which stall she was pulling her handsome captive to now, darted inside.

Neji put on the brakes, narrowing his eyes and deliberately concentrating on the back of Kay's head and nothing else.

"Come ON Neji." Kay pulled, but he was way too strong.

"Kay, have you even looked where you're going?" Neji questioned her, hardly even making an effort to stand still.

"Hm? Why?" That's when she decided she might want to. Looking around, Kay gasped, then giggled.

"What a lovely undergarment section." She commented, her voice holding a very large amount of mirth.

"What could you possibly want in this store?" Neji asked, still keeping his vigil on the back of her head. Her hair was really shiny, now that he thought of it…

"Make up, for Kurenai." Kay swung her foot backwards and bent his knee, a move that required a bit of flexibility, and clucked as if to call a mule into motion. Neji had no choice as her rather violent tug sent him rocketing forward, only some clever footwork keeping him from colliding with his smaller companion.

He was, of course, silently against taking this route, as he knew there must be another way to reach a make up section than this particular way, but he was too far into the sea of… Nothing he should be walking through.

"Aha! Found it." Kay looked at him and noticed he was glaring at her, and with a sheepish smile and a wave she redirected him out of the maze, and to the counter, where she quickly paid.

Kay was still sniggering ten minutes later, after she had crossed out all but two of the names on her list. Well, it was three, but she insisted that there was one present that was going to go to two people at once.

"Okay, technically, all I need to do is pick up the first present…" Kay said, walking towards a convenient area. Neji wondered what Kay needed in the pharmacy etc. aisle, but he grabbed her list and looked at the only one that wasn't checked, skipping all the others for the sake of his life.

"Tsunade…" He narrowed his eyes.

"How are you going to get sake for Tsunade? You're under aged." Neji was overly suspicious.

"I've been practicing a temporary transformation technique." Kay performed a few seals, and poof, she was much older, and now she was taller than Neji. Smirking, the girl gloated for a moment.

"How's the view down there?" She asked, patting his head.

Neji glared. Kay gulped, and sheepishly walked into a liquor stall, picking up some sake before she was apprehended and paying for it, using her surprisingly good acting skills. Dashing out, she released the transformation, and promptly plopped down.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me that tired you out." Neji said, looking at her oddly.

"Tsunade-baachan was in there… She almost saw me." Kay said, collecting herself on the ground. Neji rolled his eyes, and made some smart comment about how she had been in life threatening situations before and the Hokage scared her.

"Neji, you're given me a headache with your smart-ass-ness." Kay faked a complaining voice, and poked his knee for emphasis.

"Kay-chan!" Naruto and Lee's yelled greetings called the girl's attentions, and Neji's own personalized greeting followed. Lee ran up and gave Kay a side ways hug, which Kay returned with a laugh. Naruto did the same, and Kay also returned this one.

Sakura and Ino ran up and Sakura made a comment on how Kay had more siblings in this village than any actual couple would have been able to produce, and Kay nodded. Neji, now feeling a little confused, took the time to ponder.

He never got any hugs. Not like he was complaining, but it seemed to have some underlying meaning to it…

Wasn't there some saying that said 'Sometimes we don't do things so others will think we don't want to do them'? Yes, he could remember hearing that somewhere.

The whole group moved outside as Kay stated that she had to stop by Kiba's place and get the last present. The rest of the group started to disperse, and Neji could feel blue eyes watching him leave. Kay was watching him again, and he made a mental note that she had been doing that a lot today. Kiba joined Kay as the girl waved her good byes and walked out of the exit, smiling at the sunlight but shivering at the sudden chill.

"So, Kay-chan, why did you and Neji split like that?" Kiba asked as they neared his home.

"Well, we figured we would get the shopping done faster without Naruto." Kay covered, though there was nothing to cover. It had really just been some silent agreement, and they had gotten the shopping done pretty fast…

Opening the door, Kay called a friendly hello and received a response from Tsume, who was in the back room with some puppies.

Going there, Kay chuckled. "And you're making me choose from all of these?"

"Good luck." Tsume responded, smiling as the small puppies clambered over her lap. Kay sat down and immediately two or three puppies switched seats, using her as a play pen instead of Tsume. They were some type of mutt breed, Tsume had told her that the breed was too muddled to discern with the little guys, but they were all sorts of colors. Kay picked up an extremely affectionate one, and looking around, nodded her head solemnly.

"Well, normally I would hang around longer, but I need to set up the day care for the parties… This little girl would be great." Kay was smiling as the puppy clumsily licked her cheek, short little legs so different from Isamumaru's puppy legs squirming in the air.

Some paper work and a few goodbyes later, Kay walked home with a furry bundle in her arms. The children had been kept home for the day-care today, in special preparation for Kay's huge sleepover party. Now that she lived there, it was so much like a huge family… Kay's smile never wavered as she walked home.

Amaya greeted her happily at the door, helping her to get the puppy settled and to decorate the large building, pulling one room aside for sleeping bags. Isamumaru followed them, rubbing his chin on everything to make sure the new puppy knew that this was still his place. The puppy was content to toddle around clumsily after Isamumaru, who Kay caught carrying the puppy after about ten minutes. The small white bundle was held in the wolf's powerful chaws like a cotton ball, as gently as possible. The thing seemed most relieved.

"Alright, so for the sleep over…" Kay began, pulling out a list, "There's gonna be twelve people, and a few extra animals." Kay smiled. Even Shino was coming, of which she was very pleased. It had taken Hinata's help to convince him to join in the festivities, but Kay knew he would enjoy himself in his own quiet, serious fashion. Sasuke, too, was coming, at the promise that his sleeping bag would be at the far corner of the room from Sakura and Ino's. He was even bringing something for everyone.

"So, mum," Kay had begun to refer to Amaya as mum lately, "I hope you don't mind too much that I couldn't wait until later to show you your present…"

"No, not at all, dear! She's beautiful. I just need to decide on a name." Amaya was smiling broadly as she watched Isamumaru entertain their newest family addition. She always missed Kay, she remembered as she watched her surrogate daughter go over plans. It was tough knowing that one of these missions could result in her girl not coming back, but like any other mother, she knew that this was what Kay wanted; what Kay needed for herself.

_6:00 PM Day-care, Konoha, Fire Country, Friday_

"Oh Sakura, you look so nice!" Kay said happily, hugging her pink haired friend as she entered the doorway. This was followed by similar compliments to Ino and Tenten, who were followed by a shy looking Hinata. They hadn't really dressed up that much, no dresses at this party, just nicer pants and a nicer shirt; as well as some fancy hair. But Hinata's hair was too short to do much with. Kay assured her quietly that she personally liked her hair much better, and passed on a quick thought that perhaps Naruto would think the same. Kay was just wearing a green v-neck shirt that hugged her waist and abdomen tightly, and some skin tight but stretchy jeans. It really wasn't colder weather wear, but it was so warm inside the day-care that that made no difference. The girls all got settled as the boys started arriving, Lee first, followed by the rest. Akamaru dashed in before Kiba, and Kay laughed as she gave both a friendly hug.

Kay looked out the window, and smiled. Neji was walking towards the day care, in his usual wear, he hadn't changed a thing. Lee was much the same except for his Santa hat, of course, so Kay couldn't care less. But something made her turn away and ask Sakura to handle the greetings as she went to the bathroom.

For some reason, the prospect of trying to give Neji a greeting hug and the possibility of him calmly stepping past her or something wasn't appealing.

After Naruto made himself the last appearance of the night, everyone got settled on the large couches in the living room and just talked amongst themselves, starting the night with some cookies and hot chocolate. Kay sat across from Neji with Tenten and Hinata, and all three were quite content to whisper random things in between contented sips of their hot beverages.

After it seemed most people were finished enjoying the luxury of calm and comfort, Kay got up and called attention to herself with a rather loud shout at Naruto for poking a rather delicate vase a little too roughly. Noting quickly that she finally had everyone's attention, Kay indicated to the tree and the boxes.

"Decoration times, kiddies. Let's see how retarded we can make this thing look!" The girls, of course, practically launched themselves into the box, all except for Hinata who much more calmly grabbed a fragile egg ornament and placed it out of reach of the tall Isamumaru.

Kay, thought, went straight for the star, and as she came back up from her graceful bend with the shiny thing, she found a great dilemma.

She was too short.

With a pout, she crossed her arms. Nothing in this room was stool like, as usually if Kay really needed to reach something high she'd climb the counters. But alas, no counters, no climbing.

A million thoughts raced through her mind as she turned, and smiled sheepishly at the boys, whom pretty much all except Lee and Naruto were sitting down. Neji looked up and saw the star in her hands, and being the genius she so admired, got up silently.

"Could you reach that, Neji?" Kay asked, and he nodded, smirking at her shortness as he gently took the glass star and placed it on top of the tree for her.

"Thank you!" Kay said happily, as she turned around to join the fray of rabid girls fighting over the prettiest of the ornaments. Seriously, it was degrading. Neji reclaimed his seat and watched as Kay helped organize the process. Remembering to their first Christmas together, he realized that he had had to help her put the star up that year too. Kay Izurill was just… Predictable.

"Oh, you guys, the kitchen! We should go bake cookies now." Kay was bubbling with excitement, and the girls couldn't help but agree. Somehow, with her persuasiveness, Kay managed to get the guys to move to the kitchen table.

A few minutes later, with each girl handling a batch of cookies, Kay exchanged small talk. Then, it happened. Ino's hand slipped, and the batter spoon went flying, landing in Sakura's hair.

World war 3 had begun.

"INO-PIG! Look what you've done!"

"Ya? Well, it's not like I did it on purpose!"

"Guys…" Kay warned, but it had already begun. Cookie batter missiles went flying, Kay and Hinata ducked for cover, Tenten joined the fray. Lee tried to jump in and save everyone from getting hit all at once, and it was working until he got hit in the face with batter. Nevertheless, for the sake of youth he kept trying.

All the boys were up now so they could acquire enough mobility to save themselves, Naruto joining the battle, not even picking sides, instead just throwing batter every which way until he actually hit something. Kay saw something heading her way, and without time to dodge, grabbed the nearest thing to her and shoved it in front of her.

That thing just so happened to be one Neji Hyuuga. In an instant, Kay froze as she watched cookie batter slide its way down Neji's cheek, and she quickly brushed it away from his face before it could reach his coat.

"Kay…" Neji began, and Kay could feel a neck tendon going bonkers under her fingers. Turning him around quickly, Kay gasped, then burst out laughing.

Poor Neji's entire face was covered with cookie batter, from his forehead protector to his defined chin.

"Neji, I've heard of odd fashion, but you know, that's really not the best look for your face." Kay grinned impishly, before running. And run she did. Very, very fast.

The batter episode soon ended, leaving most people covered, with the exception of Hinata and Shino, who had saved themselves with some pretty effective dodging.

"Showers…?" Poor Kay was in a glare down royal with Neji, whose eyes were narrowed. He disappeared down the hall to the bathroom without another word, not needing to bring a change of clothes in because his clothes had been saved. Thank god… Kay felt the cookie batter crusting on her arms were Naruto had rather childishly rubbed the sugary concoction in.

Kay grinned. Tonight wasn't going to be so bad.

Stepping into the warm water when it was her turn to shower away the sugary remembrance of Kitchen Armageddon, Kay quickly attended to her arms and hair, before pulling out her special conditioner. She frowned as she noticed a cold wetness already on the container, which was carefully kept out of the shower and prying hands.

Neji…

"Damn you, Hyuuga!" Hinata and Neji both looked up, and Hinata looked to Neji as the boy smirked, combing fingers through his extremely soft hair.

_8:12 PM Day-care, Konoha, Fire Country, Friday_

Compensation for the stealing of special conditioner had been that Kay was now allowed to play with Neji's hair as much as she wanted. Silently, Neji was enjoying this and didn't see her long, soft fingers running along his scalp and through his coffee colored hair to be punishment at all. But he kept the narrowed eyes just to make Kay think she had won.

Soon after, karaoke started, and Kay went first, her voice rolling off the walls smoothly and caressing the listener's ears. She sang to kill, that much was true. During her performance, Neji couldn't help but notice that she didn't once look to him, and this started his brain going a bit faster. The other girls went, and they even convinced Naruto to go up and sing jingle bells with Lee.

That was the highlight of the night so far as far as humor could go. The large group then ate dinner, some jokes being thrown around and answers being retorted at lightning speed.

_Plan A, get milk to come out of Naruto's nose. _Kay thought deviously, her sudden fox-like grin fixed on the yellow haired boy. Her teammates, instantly recognizing the devious look, watched intently.

As Naruto stopped stuffing his face to take a long, luxurious drink of his milk and eggnog, Kay took a deep, calming breath.

"So, has anybody else heard about the blooming romance between Tsunade and Jiraiya?"

And oh boy, did it ever work. Kay quickly ducked, pulling Neji with her as to save her conditioner from further use tonight, and listened to Naruto and Sakura's sputters and coughs. Kay collapsed with laughter, hardly noticing the fact that her grip on Neji did not lessen. Neji hid his smirk behind an expertly cool façade.

"You were just joking," Neji deduced from her humored giggling, his voice quiet enough so that only she could hear as they got back into their chairs.

"Ah." Kay agreed, still shaking with mirth. But Lee didn't think it was funny at all.

"… You see, I knew it was happening all along, from the very first moment I saw the two together! Their spirit-full love is obvious!" The miniature Green Beast exclaimed loudly as Naruto made some more gagging sounds, his whole outfit covered in milk and eggnog.

About fifteen minutes later, after even Kay's giggling had subsided, the hostess made a suggestion. Amaya and she had both chipped in to have a man made hot spring put in the back yard, mainly for the children. It was pool size and about three feet deep, leaving plenty of room for little bodies to swim and play. But it was also great for grown ups and teenagers. Not to mention the snow on the ground was making it seem like an ideal location to be…

"Did you all bring something to swim in like I asked?" Kay voiced her curiosity, and the people who did not already know about her hot springs shook their heads yes with a slight bit of confusion. The others answered with much less hesitation.

"Great! Everyone go get dressing in them, and let's head outside!" Isamumaru knew what was coming now, and he wagged his long tail excitedly as he went to the door and slid it open, dashing outside. Kay smiled as she heard the splash, as Isamumaru was allowed into the springs. She had been wearing her swim suit underneath her clothes, and she stripped readily at the sliding door before following Isamumaru a bit faster, yelping with each step on the cold, white surface outside.

Neji came outside just to see Kay pulling her shirt over her head and dive out into the cold air, and he blinked rapidly to rid his mind of the sight. Not that she was unseemly or anything, but… He couldn't let her invade his mind again. He had a pair of black swimming trunks on, not too much different from his usual shorts, and he was second to follow her outside, seeing her sitting next to a content looking Isamumaru in the springs.

Kay smiled and indicated to the place beside her, and as he was invited to join her Neji did so politely, feeling his muscles relax in the warmth of the water. He was half tempted to tell her that this was a good idea, but he kept silent so as not to break the comfortable silence between them. Naruto and Lee came out, and no sooner had they sent he springs before they had begun to run, jumping in with a loud splash and laughing obnoxiously. Kay laughed heartily, splashing them as a scolding manner and Neji watched with a thin, elegant eyebrow curved upwards.

The girls were next along with the rest of the boys except for Shino, whom had insisted that he not go swimming because, and he hadn't said this but Kay knew that he did not want to frighten anyone. Instead the quiet Aburame took to sitting behind Kiba and Hinata just outside the hot springs, observing the chaos of the warm water from safer shores.

Kay turned to look at Neji just as he glanced at her, and her smile softened…

**Pheonix: **That's not even a cliffy, and this isn't a long chapter, I just felt that this may be a good place to end it! So here you go, I'm going to go to bed early, so ja ne! Please, PLEASE R&R! I am so desperate for a long, important Review right now that it's dricing me insane.


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